TYSON Fury is a bit of a pillock.

He’s a prat. A berk. A misogynist homophobe with views that belong in the 19th century.

Not that I’d say any of that to his face, of course, because he also happens to be the heavyweight world champion boxer.

Fury’s views on women (they’re only good for cooking or sex) and homosexuals (legalising gay sex brings the world closer to the arrival of the devil) are pretty unpleasant.

But does what he has to say matter?

And should it lead to him being kicked off the shortist for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award?

Well, yes and no.

Of course what he has to say matters.

He is a public figure, admired for his sporting prowess and an influence on young people.

Those who defend his freedom of speech fail to comprehend that this country has laws that govern what we say and write.

You can think what you like, but once you open your mouth you are subject to the laws of the land.

But should be be kicked off the SPOTY shortlist? No.

The way to deal with the unpleasant views of people like Tyson Fury is to make fun of them.

He should be the butt of jokes, belittled for views that are little more than laughable.

SPOTY is a television awards show with its results decided by the viewing public.

So don’t ban Fury from the shortlist. Just don’t vote for him.

Simple. Job done.

We cannot ban everyone we don’t agree with.

But we can treat them as figures of fun. A bit like US presidential hopeful Donald Trump.

There is a huge petition online calling for Trump, who is bidding for the Republican candidacy to succeed President Obama in the White House, to be banned from entering the United Kingdom after he said the States should no longer allow Muslims to enter the country.

Such bans can happen, of course.

The Home Office has powers to ban speakers from overseas coming to the UK under the “unacceptable behaviours or extremism exclusion policy”.

There are some people who are banned from entering Britain and deservedly so.

These tend to be hate preachers who pose a real and present danger to our nation.

But I fail to see how extending this to Trump would achieve anything other than provide further publicity for the rantings of an idiot.

Does anybody really take Donald Trump seriously?

When one of the richest men in the world can’t afford a decent wig, what chance does he have of running a country?

He’s not a politician. He’s a bloke with a big mouth and money to burn.

I don’t want Tyson Fury to be named Sports Personality of the Year and I don’t want Donald Trump to become President of the United States.

But I also don’t want Britain to become a nation in a state of permanent outrage.

Yes, the views of Fury and Trump are abhorrent and have no place in the modern world.

But let’s not waste our time on petitions and banning orders.

Let’s just laugh at them.